Cimetidine treatment of recurrent ulcer after vagotomy

A retrospective evaluation of 16 patients with recurrent ulcer following vagotomy demonstrated that 75% were free from symptoms, and 40% had a healed ulcer after one month of cimetidine treatment (one gram per day). The ulcer recurrence, respectively persistance rate was high. After a median observation time of nine months, four patients were continuously free from symptoms, ten had been subjected to reoperation (of these two after an attempt at long-term treatment with cimetidine) and two were under long-term treatment with cimetidine. With the present state of knowledge an attempt can be made to treat the patients with recurrent ulcers after vagotomy with a cure of two to three months. Acid tests and control gastroscopy has some predictive value.